Review: HXR's Easy Shift Crankset Changes Gears Without Pedaling

Jan 24, 2019
by Paul Aston  
August Aston Product


HXR Components are a French company, from the Rhone Alpes region (that contains many of the best lift-accessed spots in Europe) and have created Easy Shift in order to allow shifting when not pedaling. This means that you can shift into the right gear ready to sprint out of a corner, or when pedal strikes are a concern in a narrow, rocky trail. This is achieved by adding a freewheel to the crankset and using a fixed gear hub so that the chain is turning at all times, whether pedaling or coasting

If you are running a DT-Swiss star ratchet hub, such as the 350 or 240, turning it into a fixed gear can easily be done using HXR's special kit. There are also replacement pawls that create a fixed freehub body for a range of hubs including Mavic. (€18 or €12 respectively), or you can buy HXR's own hub for €269. Other requirements to use the crankset as it's intended are a narrow wide chainring, which most riders will have already, and chain guide.



HXR Easy Shift Details
Intended use: Shifting without pedaling
Material: Aluminum
Compatibility: Fits all BB shells and Boost and non-Boost spacing
Requirements: freewheel blocking pawls/fixed gear hub, narrow wide chainring and chain guide
Crank lengths: 165 and 170mm (DH), 170 and 175mm (enduro)
Weight: 942 g (arms, axle, chainring, BB, actual)
MSRP: €449 EUR
hxr-components.com
In Europe, the crankset is available for €449, with the Enduro model for 73mm wide bottom brackets being offered in 170mm or 175mm crank lengths and the DH model for 83mm wide B.B. in a 165mm length.


August Aston Product
August Aston Product


Installation

Fitting the HXR kit was similar to any other crank. I used a threaded BSA 73mm bottom bracket and it came with a tool and a bunch of thin plastic washers to fine tune things. Once the BB was in, place the chainring and 'freewheel' on to the driveside splines and install this side of the crank. Finally, add the non-driveside arm and torque it up.


August Aston Product

August Aston Product



Performance and Thoughts

Does the system work? That's obviously the first question and yes, it does. I could change gears at any time the rear wheel was turning, but it took a few rides for me to relearn when to shift so that I could benefit from being in the correct gear. I soon started to shift going into corners and even in them so that I could pedal out on exit, preventing those useless pedal strokes when you're in too low a gear to add any meaningful speed. It was also useful for shifting in preparation for a sudden climb following a rough descent or vice-versa.


I did wonder, with the chain constantly moving, does the drivetrain wear faster? I reached out to Romain, who owns HXR, who said that because there is no tension on the chain it won't wear too much. However, as I see it, this extra movement must increase wear to some extent, but not as much as from pedaling. Related to the additional wear is the increased friction from the drivetrain when coasting. I don't know if this makes a significant difference in the real world, but there will always be more drag from the system than a traditional setup.
HXR EasyShift

by astonmtb
Views: 31,119    Faves: 7    Comments: 1


The overlying fear of mine with the system is what would happen if a stick were to get caught in the wheel? At high-speed, I don't know if I could stop quickly enough to prevent the chain and derailleur from getting ripped off. Also, what would happen if the chain were to jam when riding something technical? The rear wheel would stop turning and could even cause a crash. Even if the narrow wide chainring and chain guide do their job's perfectly, something as simple as tagging the rear mech on a rock and bending the mech hanger could cause a crash. Luckily, none of the above happened, but they were on my mind.

I'm not really concerned about the additional weight of the extra freewheel system, although that's certainly going to be a dealbreaker for some riders, but carrying a second freewheel mechanism which is blocked seems to be waste to me. This would happen even if you spent the money on HXR's fixed gear hub, as it is convertible between a fixed gear hub or normal freehub. I would be interested to try the blocking pawls on an eMTB hub, which might be useful for technical hill climbs as you could change gear in time with pedal pauses around or on to obstacles.

August Aston Product


Pinkbike's Take
bigquotesThe HXR Easy Shift system is interesting, but its performance isn't groundbreaking enough to prompt me to rush out and put one on every bike I ride.— Paul Aston


Posted In:
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134 Comments
  • 136 1
 my old bike could do this sometimes, but probably cause my freehub was rusted into a brick and the chainring bolts kept falling out
  • 18 3
 @frontwheellove: stop spamming the comments. Also, your article is crap. It doesn't even mention this drive train. I won't go into the myriad of other issues with what you wrote.
  • 6 1
 @crobiker482: whoa, obviously I missed something in my week away from Pinkbike... ????
  • 67 0
 an old trials trick to make a normal hub fixed was to just zip-tie the cassette to a spoke, you only have to overcome the friction of the freewheel in the cranks which is very low, just make sure the cassette is engaging the pawls when you tighten the zip-tie and it works a treat (still carrying extra weight but at least it's a cheap and easily reversible)
  • 8 1
 AliC!
  • 7 0
 And in case of the chain getting stuck, you just break the zip-tie instead of derailleur/chain/frame. Sounds like a winner to me!
  • 4 1
 @hirvi: or the spoke
  • 3 0
 @emptybox: Still an easy and cheap fix.
  • 7 0
 But what if you smash your chainring on a rock and bend some teeth? With a conventional system you can still just freewheel and finish the run, with this system you'd have to either remove the chain, or walk.
Just my 2 cents
  • 41 3
 Interesting design. All the haters on here, honestly, until you ride it you can't really pass judgement. I bet if this was the standard system and a company suggested a system to move the freewheel to the rear hub everyone would have the same reaction and negative comments.
  • 6 0
 no doubt
  • 26 2
 This system isn't new. At least 50 years old, on bikes I have worked on, early 70's Schwinn's. It makes a comeback every 10 years or so. I never liked the idea of momentum turning the chain nonstop. On those old bikes, they had an inside chain guard incase the chain dropped. You would need to do the the same on this system, like the one above has 2 guides. If you drop a chain and it falls on the frame, that chain keeps moving! Would take 5 seconds to cut through carbon if you had it in the 40t rear and hit 25mph on a downhill? Also, if that chain were to get jammed at the bb, the chain would make a straight line from the cassette, thru the deraileur to the jam. It could damage the deraileur or hanger. Any drag on the front sprocket, like mud build up in the guide, would make the chain "jump". So the chain would become slack, tight, slack, tight. I have tried 2 of these systems over 30 years, I would steer clear of it for off road use. Road/commuter bike, it would work fine.
  • 7 2
 @oldschool43 i'm pretty sure this tech is already in use at Elite Level racing on their road bikes with stealth electric drive motors in the seat tube and down tubes.
  • 1 0
 @drivereight: Oddly, the only ebike I rode was a full suspension Hai bike (or something like that) it had that system on it and it did NOT like the front deraileur to be changed when coasting. I would never buy one, so don't remember the exact name. But I did do 20 mph on blacktop, with the big knobby (26x5.0?) Maxxis Minions. The thing weighed over 50 pounds! Barely broke a sweat.. I can see the appeal. Haha..
  • 34 2
 Stop me if I'm wrong, still trying to get my head around this:

1) If the rear wheel stops turning (lock up, big dirty skids, etc) the chain stops moving. But then when the wheel starts to rotate again the chain starts going?

So in steep technical terrain where the wheel might go 'stopped to moving to stopped to moving' several times in a few seconds, the chain is getting pushed and pulled all over the place.

2) And surely a conventional drivetrain is designed around the chain being taut on the top length and 'pulled' round. It seems like when freewheeling this would be taut on the bottom half (through the derailleur) and the chain is 'pushed' on the top length. With the 12 speed cassette and the chain line issues already in place, that sounds like a recipe for disaster.
  • 8 2
 im also wondering how this will affect braking Performance and possibly susp Performance. Some rear triangle System have so much influence on the chain lenght that it may become a factor? And the rear Brakes now also have to stop the whole drivetrain System? I mean, i know im pushing it far here, but hey, you never know right...
  • 21 1
 Hello, I ride the EasyShift system since long time now. To try to answer at your questions, when the rear wheel is on rotation, the chain move to permit to change your gear without pedaling action. If you lock your rear wheel, it is the same situation instead of the normal transmission. Nothing are in movement ! No freewheel. No influences between brake and crankset. The only difference between the easyshift and normal crankset is the position of the freewheel and yes, the chain is pushed towards the crankset but only in freewheels phases. When you restart pedaling phase, you pull the chain normally. So, it's true, for ride Easyshift, you need to have a acceptable chainline to don't have any issues!
  • 2 0
 There's a good reason why a chain guide is "required equipment"
  • 4 1
 And that's not even going into wear issues of having your entire drivetrain always in use rather than just when pedaling!! Imagine bombing down a road at 60kph and your entire drivetrain has to keep up! Another recipe for disaster
  • 24 0
 Essentially the same as my Onza Trials bike had 15 years ago.
  • 11 0
 My mom's Panasonic hybrid had this exact system in 1985. Shimano made it back then. It worked, I guess. It also has this neat system in the front where the chain guide could be used to access three individual chainrings. Pretty forward-thinking stuff.
  • 4 0
 See it's an old 70s design.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_freewheel
  • 1 1
 Wow, you have a good memory. It's so funny how this shiz wasn't even notable in 1985, and now it's spank bank material. I feel like people are devolving.
  • 1 0
 @Kramz: oddly enough the Shimano system had a high drag freewheel in the rear wheel that would allow the chain to jam and the wheel to spin, so a large failure of this system is the omission of that freewheel.
  • 1 0
 @BikesBoatsNJeeps: if you're going to carry the extra weight of a functioning hub anyway, It may as well be high friction and have the option to get you out of a jam. Not to mention how much easier it would make lubing the chain.
  • 7 0
 One of those cranks came with a bike I bought round this time last year. I used it for a while and then got rid of it.

Additional useful information: The spider uses a 94mm bcd and it's a 30mm spindle.

On the crankset I had the tolerances seemed to have been off. When I wanted to take the crank off the bike, I had to hammer it out over the whole length of the spindle and harder than I was comfortable with.

Other than that it worked as intended and shifting while coasting was nice.

HxR did do locking pawls for DT, Mavic and Aivee. Their own locking pawls are -unofficially- compatible with Spank hubs. The bike I bought came with a locked Spank hub.

There is a narrative that the constantly moving chain and cassette tilt the bike forward while jumping and that this would be quite dangerous.
I didn't do jumps big enough to notice such an effect, though.
  • 5 2
 I ride with an easy shift for 2 season now. I've never felt anything regarding jumps (and god knows how it's the only thing I'm good at).
  • 11 5
 pyromaniac: Tilt the bike forward?
Seems to me it would, if anything, raise the front wheel.
When jumping an MX bike, if you want the nose up you give it throttle, ie spin the rear wheel and sprockets faster. To bring the nose down, you tap the rear brake
  • 2 2
 @YoKev: thanks YoKev for the reminder.
  • 1 6
flag adespotoskyli (Jan 24, 2019 at 3:35) (Below Threshold)
 @YoKev: that's partially true, depends, if the rear wheel is higher than the front ie going nose down and hit the throttle it'll make things worse
If it's silghtly lower ie like on a good take of but you loose the front end going down a slight hit on the throttle will help things.
  • 6 0
 @YoKev: Well, you aren't putting down power when you're coasting. So it should act more like a very weak brake, as the friction in the drivetrain tries to slow down the rear wheel, I would think.
  • 4 0
 @adespotoskyli: Twisting the throttle causes a pivoting motion around the rear wheel axle bringing the nose of the bike up. It doesn't matter about the orientation of the bike.
  • 2 4
 @Patrick9-32: really? Last time I checked it didn't work! Might be my crappy technique though! Hahahaha
  • 2 0
 @YoKev: the drag from the chain causes the rear wheel to slow down its spin.

In more sciency terms, it works like a reaction wheel.
  • 1 0
 @YoKev: Ronnie Mac would approve this message.

www.instagram.com/p/BsuD5yhh4cv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
  • 3 1
 @pyromaniac: Exactly. The MX physics don't apply here as the rear wheel isn't being increased in speed to bring nose up. It's just forward (read: or downward) pitch added from chain and cassette momentum. That is- if it's even applicable from such little weight compared to the rig, rider, and wheel momentum.
  • 1 0
 @YoKev: Totally agree with the MX analogy, but I don't think this applies here. Once you leave the lip your system (rider+bike) angular momentum is fixed. Revving the rear wheel on MX adds clockwise (from the right side) angular momentum and so the rider+bike rotate back to keep the total value conserved. Tapping the brake does the opposite. It's the change that's important.

In this case, I guess the extra drag from the drivetrain might make the nose of the bike dip a little quicker than usual.
  • 7 2
 Big fan of this concept. To maximize it you still need a fixed rear hub to lop off 100g of unsprung mass.

I’d expected to hear it actually held momentum because of the inertia of the moving cassette/chain/chainring resulting in a slight push.

Love the idea of changing gears coasting. For racing it just makes sense to me.
  • 3 1
 You should try a gearbox then !
  • 1 0
 Why are there no disc brake fixed hubs!!!!?
They are what gearbox bikes need.
I'm running front and rear freewheels currently for future emotor setup.
  • 1 0
 @choppertank3e: There are (Phil Wood, Paul Componenets), but they are only intended to have a single cog threaded on to them. This application requires a full cassette mounted, and there isn't any other scenario when you would need that, so no one makes it. You'd have to have a freehub machined as part of the hub shell, it would be a strange part to produce.
  • 1 0
 @hypermoto: You only need a single cog when the gears are midmounted in a gearbox. Thanks for the tip.
  • 5 1
 (Alert: it might be stupid question)
When the suspension compresses, the chain is stretched. If the chain is spinning during the compresion, does it change anything? (think like when the chain is "starched", the cassettes "adds" links instead of pulling the chain) Is there a change in pedal kickback?
  • 9 2
 Good question. The chain is never in tension, so indeed it tend to reduce the pedal kickback.
  • 2 0
 @HxRComponents: interesting!
  • 3 1
 @shaked: Hi, actualy if the RC gets longer under suspension compression, the chain is pulled by the rear axle,
And when the chain is pulled, it rotates the crank and it is what creates the kcikback. so no effect on kickback.

I heard this question a few times and the answer is definitively that you can't get rid of kickback this way.
The only way is to disangage the freewheel (in the hub or the crank, as you prefer) so the chain is disconnected.

this is the DT swiss concept from some years ago: www.pinkbike.com/news/canyon-project-disconnect-eurobike-2016.html
  • 2 0
 @mariano69id: this concept was (and is) a nice idea. A chainless feel.
About the HxR - it might work when the wheel is spinning (and fast) the Chain is pulled from the rear axle, therefore the distance between the upper part of the chainring and the place the chain "leaves" the cassette grows. Bucause the cassette is spinning, the upper part of the chain will get longer (added links) and it might can help with pedal kickback.
Just ask pinkbike to check it on a bike with high pivot and without the idler pulley.
Still, I was wondering, nothing more
  • 1 0
 @HxRComponents: the freewheel engages less per rear wheel rotation which equals less friction/ rolling resistance that is why I made one in 2013 and it still works great. Good job making a marketable version. I wish you much success bikes be better for it. I have a picture of mine in my gallery.
  • 9 5
 @paulaston this makes no sense:

”The overlying fear of mine with the system is what would happen if a stick were to get caught in the wheel? At high-speed, I don't know if I could stop quickly enough to prevent the chain and derailleur from getting ripped off."
  • 12 3
 It totally makes sense. It happens to me quite regularly that small sticks jam the derailleur pulleys. Usually I'm quick enough to notice and stop pedalling before the chain pulls the derailleur back and up, wrapping it around the cassette. With the HXR system you'd have to stop the bike completely since just stopping pedalling would do nothing to save the rear mech. And you'd have far greater chances of catching a stick in the first place, since the chain is moving all the time and not just when you're pedaling. This might not be an issue for people only riding groomed bike trails but if you ride hiking trails in the woods it is a valid concern. Especially after storms.
  • 1 0
 @martn: you wouldn't have to stop the bike, just lock the rear brake, but yeah, still a bit of a non sense.
  • 1 0
 @ismasan: Exactly. You would now have to focus on ceasing pedaling AND hitting ur rear brake to prevent the chain from sucking through.
  • 3 2
 He might as well have added ''I also worry about a stick in the front wheel causing a sudden stop and a crash'', as it is technically possible.
  • 6 1
 here is the problem: when you drop a chain at speed and stop pedalling it usually isnt catastrophic, with this system if you drop a chain you had better lock the rear brake up before the rear mech gets torn off.
  • 2 6
flag Alexmtb12 (Jan 24, 2019 at 9:53) (Below Threshold)
 use a chain guide.
  • 2 0
 @Alexmtb12: A chain guide would be mandatory on this type of system. However, that also means if you ride in mud, you better hope it doesn't build up in the guide. This system does not like drag on the chainring. It creates upper chain slack, which could cause the rear tire to pull the chain between the chainstay and tire. The clutch in the deraileur may offset some of it, but if you have never seen this design in person, it can go bad before you know what even happened. I had a friend get a shoe lace stuck in this system when I was a kid. It wrapped around the crank and eventually tried to pull his shoe off. We had to cut the laces to get it out. He only coasted 15 feet or so. It's a "recycled" design that's around 50 years old and has yet to catch on, if that says anything about it.
  • 7 2
 And let’s not forget that bent hanger that throws your chain into the spokes. This system would destroy your chain, derailleur and wheel.
  • 14 0
 That pretty much happens now if you throw your chain/mech into the wheel though?
  • 1 0
 @mrtoodles: true, but most will stop pedaling immediately and will hopefully save the chain and rear mech although the spokes might take a hit. In the above scenario you may not be able to hit the brakes quick enough to avoid losing all three.
  • 7 1
 So, the trade off for shifting whenever you want is you have to have a chainsaw constantly running near your right leg?
  • 3 0
 You sharpen your chains, too? Thought I was the only one!
  • 2 0
 @noapathy: never know when you're gonna need to remove a downed tree
  • 5 1
 First fat bikes started using our single wall rims with machined cut outs and now mountain bikes are trying to adopt our front freewheel system? Trials riders setting all the trends lol.
  • 3 0
 dont forget Monty's fat handlebars in the 90s!
  • 2 0
 Front freewheel has been around awhile. Shimano had their FFS front freewheel system for 10 speeds bitd. Same era as Positron, with solid shift wire, early indexed shifitng. The Auto-bike, automatic shifting as seen on TV bike, also used a front freewheel. Traditionally, this has been aimed at noobs who can't figure out how to shift.
  • 5 0
 Plus, when you crash you have a still spinning chain gnawing at your leg/whatever (I speak from experience with a GT IT1)
  • 3 1
 Being a trials rider I have always thought this system would be great for MTB. I have been in many situations where I don't want or need to pedal to be in the right gear, a flow section before a steep climb where I would preferbly pump the bike and then sprint up. That being said, I do have a concern... I've had many eagle RD failures, if one of the pulleys twists or jams while descending and the chain is rolling fast through the drivetrain, I spot some nasty(er) damage...
  • 9 1
 The cure for Eagle is Shimano Wink
  • 1 0
 I rode this for a few seasons. Everything was great didn't notice to much extra chain wear. But... The free wheel in the crank was made up of lots of small floating bearings, eventually it pitted the channel it lays in and the bearings wouldn't stay in with out float. Good idea long term not idea. Chur
  • 4 0
 There was me thinking it was some kind of Hammerschmidt thing. No, it still uses that rear derailleur system.
  • 3 0
 I had an old Aromlab wheelset that would constantly shed spokes, sometimes right into the cassette spider, essentially making a DH fixie. I don’t miss that at all.
  • 4 0
 Could be useful for a single-speed set-up? No mech to get messed up and thrown into the spokes?
  • 17 0
 wait just saw the flaw in that logic
  • 2 0
 The claimed benefit is to shift without pedalling. Single speed, well... Pretty hard to shift gears... Wink
  • 1 0
 @mattg95: but it would look rad, so there is that...
  • 1 0
 HXR needs to market the freewheel block to the eBike market. The Bosch and Yamaha systems already have the free-crank system in their design. Would Brose (and other system) owners sound off, because I don't know how they work?
  • 1 0
 Not sure about all Bosch systems but mine has a regular freehub and acts like a normal bike. The front drive just has a gear reduction between the crankarm and chainring so it looks a bit odd.
  • 1 0
 This thing is going to be noisy to the point of irritating very quickly. It will further shorten drive train life so of course Shimano and Sram love it but wont build it. No Sram or Shimano hub conversion is a commitment to failure. Every IS system can shift without pedaling is quieter and can use a maintenance free belt. IS is what needs to be developed.
  • 2 1
 More noise, more drag, more weight, more wear, more maintenace. No Shimano or Sram hub adapters. What is the benefit again?

Internal shift systems all shift without pedaling, they can move the weight to the centre of the bike, use a lighter, quieter longer lasting, maintenance free belt, be neglected and work reliably for decades.

The only reason we dont have light weight high performance IS sjifting is because it wont wear out every 4 months. It is stupid people believe we cant have that.
  • 1 0
 I have been able to test it in Morzine and was wondering a bit about the mechanism when I saw it in the PDS event. but to me it is a game changer. Imagine changing gear in any condition any way. just feel it more natural at the end in fact
  • 1 0
 Back in the 70s I had a Japanese made (I believe) Azuki road bike that had the freewheel in the bottom bracket or crankset, not sure which. Also cannot remember anything besides the obvious fact that if the bike was moving the chain was rolling and could be shifted.
  • 1 0
 if you want easy shifting get an internal hub, dont even have to be moving. point made above about pushing the chain is a deal breaker. cant expect everything to be perfectly clean and aligned at all times. next.
  • 3 1
 Can't shift an IGH while pushing on the pedals though. It takes a shit load more learning to use a Rohloff or similar off road as you have to plan your shifts so far in advance (speaking from experience). This allows you to shift in places you can't with a standard derailleur without the downsides of shifting that is actuated at the non shifter end.
  • 2 0
 I don't think i would like to go downhill with 30-40 km/h and cassette and chain with the front chainring speens at that speed... Bloody issues smells
  • 2 0
 So confusing...I think I'll just get a motorcycle.
  • 1 0
 Now you can put a stealth electric motor in the down tube or seat tube along with this device and don't have keep pedaling! I won't be surprised if this device is already in use in elite racing!
  • 3 0
 New bike tech = creating “solutions” to problems that already have solutions that have worked for years.
  • 2 0
 Obviously an elliptical chainring design would be a nightmare with this system.

Did I miss where they mention the details regarding points of engagement?
  • 2 0
 Hello Coregrind. There is 108 engagement point in the freewheel crankset. Not compatible with Oval chainring.
  • 1 0
 I was about to say no way lol, of courses someone beat me to it, I've been thinking of inventing that for a couple months... but I realized my idea was slightly different... we shall see...
  • 1 0
 Catching some branches and that real happens in real life it will be a disaster ,and a phew more real life things ,but the idea it’s not that stupid ,maybe electronics will be a part of it ,we will see
  • 1 0
 Not sure if this is a good idea. Seems potentially very dangerous and seems to be trying to solve a problem that doesn’t really exist. Refined shifting technique sounds like the ticket.
  • 1 0
 Nope. The chain is being pushed onto the chaining. When the freewheel and chain are no longer brand new, the free wheel wont turn as freely, I predict constant irritating chain dropping, or jamming in the top guide.
  • 1 2
 Here is an idea. Be in the gear you need to be in before locking up your rear wheel..... Save some money and weight by buying a lighter crankset and learn how to anticipate what gear you need like the rest of the worlds mtbrs.
  • 2 0
 I thought the main goal for the newest bike drivetrains were to shift during pedaling on load...
  • 2 0
 Shoutout all the people that just found out you aren't meant to shift when not pedalling!
  • 2 0
 I see your point - but I think the bigger issue is hamfisters shifting under load. Not being able to shift while not pedaling becomes obvious pretty quickly - the bike plain won't do it... but shifting under load still allows someone to change gears... it's not smooth, it sounds terrible and can't be great for the drivetrain... It does seem like a small step forward, but to Paul's point, not worth the coin.
  • 1 0
 @iduckett: I don't know if its something we really need at any price tbh buddy.
  • 2 0
 I really wish someone would take the 3 speed Shimano hub mechanicals and adapt them to the cranks.
  • 1 0
 Great idea but it sure wont be Shimano. Had they followed through with their FM5 system in the 90s 1x never would have happened. Both Sram and Shimano have IS tech that can be neglected for decades and work reliably.
  • 1 0
 Rotating mass and resistance, while coasting, goes way up with this setup. I can see this being beneficial for a very specific type of riding and or terrain. But thats it.
  • 2 0
 You could have a complicated freehub, so you could pedal reverse, roll backwards, pedal brake, and stuff. It's actually not a bad idea for mountain biking, especially full suspension, or downhill.
  • 3 0
 A solution to a problem I never knew I had.
  • 1 0
 It's not a bad idea, and not a good idea. Removes unsprung weight from the rear hub, adds rolling resistance. I'm on the fence. Might want a high quality, low friction chain with this setup. It's definitely not a bad idea.
  • 1 0
 Also the freewheel can be as complicated, and heavy as you want, so you could make a crazy good one, even hydraulic.
  • 2 0
 so more drag, more wear, for what being able to shift when coasting. not worth it
  • 1 0
 why not have a rear hub with a very high amount of friction while freewheeling, and a freewheel in front with a very low amount of friction?
  • 2 0
 It has, it’s an old patent I believe
  • 1 0
 Question:
On what bike they fit that thing on? The one with the concentric lower pivot I mean
  • 1 0
 On almost any Enduro Bikes. Easy Shift Pedaling System is compatible with bbshell BSA, press fit 30 and BB92
  • 1 0
 This system will make converting yer bike to moto a whole lot easier, cuz so many of us are doing that.
  • 2 0
 How many fingers will be lost with bikes on work stands?
  • 3 0
 No more than ten at a time.
  • 1 0
 I'm much more interested in the conventional, but wireless stuff. Shimano must be onto this surely.
  • 1 0
 neet system, what I want to know is what the black frame this is mounted on in the pictures with the BB pivot!!!
  • 1 0
 What happens when you drop the chain?
  • 1 0
 I want those but there way to expensive
  • 2 1
 Why 170 mm is DH and not 175mm?
What is the different ??
  • 7 0
 Pedal strikes.
  • 3 0
 I run 165 on my Enduro Bike because of a closer foot distance while horizontal and to avoid Pedal striking.
  • 3 2
 Good idea. Not sure why this hasn't been done before
  • 2 0
 It has, but without much success... it might be one of those things though that works out a lot better now that we have all dropped the extra chain rings up front. I'd be willing to give it a try though, I've suffered enough rear wheel failures over the years to know that they are generally not too bad, and way better than breaking a front wheel, handlebar, frame ect... usually just lock up and slide.
  • 2 0
 Product launch was almost exactly four years ago...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBT6Y_9Wdo0
  • 1 0
 What is this I don't even???
  • 1 0
 Nice to see innovation and testing of new ideas.
  • 1 0
 Shimano positron is back!
  • 1 0
 Well I thought gearboxes were going out until I read more lol
  • 1 0
 A new take on ancient technology...
  • 1 0
 Nope! Not for that price! 449 euro is $680 Canadian Eek lol
  • 4 4
 Look like more maintenance to me.. CRAP.
  • 2 1
 Chainsaw...
  • 1 0
 A gearbox is better
  • 1 1
 30 year old idea!







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